Golf-club carrier



April 13 ,1926. 1,581,061

G. F. JOHNSTON GOLF CLUB CARRIER Filed April 4,1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 13 1926.

G. F. JOHNSTON GOLF CLUB CARRIER Filed April 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 13, 1926.

UNITED STATES GEORGE F. JOHNSTON, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA.

GOLF-CLUB CARRIER.

Application filed April To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. JOHNSTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tulsa, in the county of Tulsa and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Golf-Club Carriers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a. full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which'it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to golf club carts, or carriers adapted for the reception of the usual complement of clubs necessary to the game of golf, and mounted on antifriction rollers whereby to facilitate transportation of the clubs from one part of the golf course to another.

Club carriers, such as caddie bags, are usually provided with a strap which passes over the caddies shoulder and, in the use of such carriers, the caddie is forced to bear the entire weight of the load. If no caddie is available the player is obliged to carry the bag and it must lie upon the ground when the shot is being made, and raised from the ground, after each shot, for transportation to the ball. Very few caddie bags are so constructed as to stand alone while the ball is being played.

An object of the present invention is the provision of means whereby a minimum of effort is required in the transportation of the clubs around the. golf course.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means whereby, when the hold upon the top end of the club carrier is released While the latter is inclined-at a certain angle from the vertical, the weight of the clubs willv tend to automatically cause the carrier to come to rest in an upright position.

Another object of the invention, is the provision of a carrier including, at its lower end, a receptacle to receive the heads or heavier ends of the clubs.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a carrier including a clubhead receiving receptacle at its lower end, and anti-friction members mounted for rotation on an axis in a plane below and adjacent one of the sides of the receptacles.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a covering provided with fastening means adapted to cooperate with means on the carrier, whereby the clubs 1925. Serial No. 20,630.

may be covered when playing in wet weather, or during transportation of the clubs from one city to another.

Other objects of the invention will be made apparent in the following specificatlOl1,'WlleIl read in connection with the drawings forming a part thereof:

In said drawings;

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the carrier, showing one of the wheels removed.

Fig. 2 is a vertical broken away section, of the carrier shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the carrier showing the vertical position in full lines and an inclined position in dotted lines.

Fig. 4 is a detailed sectional view showing the wheel mounting.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the carrier with a canvas covering applied thereto.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the carrier shown in Fig. 5, with the wheels and supporting log removed.

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the reverse side of the carrier shown in Fig. 5 with the wheels removed.

Fig. Sis a plan view of the receiving receptacle for the club heads, the wheels be- .ing removed and,

Fig. 9 is a-dctail of one set of the fasteners for connecting the covering to the 03.11161."

Now referring specifically to the drawings, in which like reference, numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates the clubhead receiving receptacle of the carrier. This receptacle is preferably of light metal, such as aluminum, and of rectangular formation, and is of a size and depth sufficient to contain a full complement of club heads. The carrier is provided on its upper end with an open top 2, in the form of a rectangular guard for the handles of the clubs. The top is connected to the receiver 1, by metal rods 3,

which are bolted or riveted to the top and bottom, the top and rods also being preferably formed of aluminum. A bar 4. extends between the sides of the top 2, whereby to providespaces on each side, and to facilitate separation of the wooden clubs from the iron clubs. Similarly, a division plate 5'bisects the receiver 1, for the same purpose.

\Vithin the bottom of the receiver 1, and adjacent one side thereof, is secured an internally-screw-threaded sleeve 6, adapted to ret e outer end of the axle, and

the artition members 4 and5, te

midway and raising the c ceive astub axle 7 upon which the wheel 8 is rotatablymounted. The and ofthe axle 7 is screw-threadedto fit into theend of the sleeve 6, and is provided with a shoulder 9 to limit movement of the wheel 1 dinal? l of the axle. A washer 10 is a nut 11 completes the assembly WM: to mount the wheel. When so mounted the end of the axle 7 is then inserted into the sleeve 6 and turned tightly therein, and may of course be removed y a reverse rotation.

Below the receiver 1, and adjacent the Q'de opposite the sleeve 8, is mounted a supporting leg 12, preferably a flattened foot 13. The leg 12 1s detacha 1e, and, for this purpose is rovided with screwat its upper on or oo-operation with complementasy v intcrnall carriedbyasocket13 inthebouzomof ereceiver 1.

On the side of the top 2, and above the leg 12 is provided a detachable handle 14, carrymg a shaft which screws into the hollow bar 4. In operation of the carrier, the clubs are placed as shown in Fig. 1, tlhe clu hea sinthe receiver 1. Asso it will be noted that the greater weight of the clubs is at the bottom of the carrier, and, since the clubs will normally rest as shown, with the toe, or front end of the club against the side of the receiver immediately above wooden and iron clubs being the leg 12, the greater weight of the clubs is drawn longitudinally the eenter.

ii h li h ts' 1 th la it t ecu so isposed' ep yermay readily select the desired club, and it will ordinarily be i'yilamoved.J from the cati'rigll the caddie or ayer, y ing e lub slightly so that the head thereof may clear the side of the receiver. The club is then pulled downwar'dl until the handle end passes beneath the si e of the to 2. The reverse operation will replace the c uh in 'tion.

After the stroke is played the caddie or player grasps the handle 14 and tilts the carrier forwardly, as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the handle 14 being on the upper side of the rectangle'forming the top 2, and draws the carrier to the zone of the next shot.

.The handle 14 may then be drawn u wardly ttedonto Fronrthe foregoingxit-will be noted that thesetof clubs rtedaround the course, by e caddie or tplayer, with ammimum of ener since e weight of the clubs is at the bottom where the wheels 8 bear the load. If the heads were at the top of the carrier practically the entire load would be borne by the hand of the operator ing the handle.

The carrier in ts entirety is usually no heavier than thecaddy bag generally in use, any additional w ht, however, being more than compensated or. by the ease of transportation.

In Fig. 5 is shown a canvas or waterproof cover 15, for the .carrier, for use in playing in wet weather. The cover is shaped -at its upper andlower portions to exactly fit left unstitched at each corner, from the.

bottom upwardly, to form a flap portion 15', as indicated. A row of the fastener elements or projections 16'is rovided across the body of the cover, and t e loose end portion 15' is provided, on the bottom with the ey ets or openings 17, adapte for fastening engagement with the projections 16 on the side of the receiver 1, or the projections 16 on the bod of the cover 15. construction w on playing in wet weather, the flat portion 15 may be raised and. secured as indicated in Fig. 6, to afford ready acces to the bottom rtion of the clu and to permit remova and replacement 0 a club as heretofore explained. Furthermore the flap 15' is positioned on the same side of the cover asare the-wheels. Consequently, asthe carrier is being rolled along the golf course, the opening in the cover is on the underside, and the rain cannot reach the.

clubs. When the carrier is standing u right very little rain, if any, can reach t e clubs, as will be understood.

A cover cap 15" is fitted over the top 2, and provided with apertures'17, whereby to secure it to the rojections 16 carried by the sides and en of the top. The lower edge of the cap 15" will be perforated to receive the shank of the handle 14; The shank screw-threads into the end of the bar 4, and is therefore easily detachable when the cap or cover is to be applied or removed. If desired one side of 'the cap 15" may be provided with a loose flap portion similar to the flap 15, in which event the clubs may be taken out through the top 2 and-the cap 15", and the flap 15 inthe body of the cover may be eliminated. If desired also, the cap 15" may be permanently united tothe body By this of the cover 15, instead of being detachably secured thereto.

In F ig. 7 I show the canvas cover as used for transportation of the carrier. To facilitate transportation a handle is secured to a side of the cover. In the use of this cover 19, the handle 14, the wheels 8, and the leg 12 are removed, as previously explained, and placed in the receiver 1, preferably behind the heel of the club heads, and a coiled spring, or a flexible or resilient strap 21, is extended longitudinally of the center of the receiver 1, between the hooks 22, 22, to bisect the receiver. The cover 19 may then be placed over the carrier, and the carrier transported bodily to the scene of play, the cover removed, and the wheels, handle and leg reassembled for play.

In Fig. 1 and 2 is shown a bag or receptacle 23, of canvas, which is adapted to carry .golf balls or other small paraphernalia for golf play. This bag may be permanently secured to the receiver, or 'detachably secured thereto by the fastener members 16 and 17 heretofore referred to, and may be provided with a side flap 24, permitting access to the interior of the bag.

The wheels 8 may be provided With relatively wide fiat treads, to preserve the turf of the course, or may be rubber-tired.

It is manifest that various modifications of the structural features herein described may be suggested to those skilled in the arts, but I desire it to be understood that the invention comprehends all modifications falling fairly within the scope of the appended claims.

WVhat I claim is:

1. A golf club carrier comprising a rigid receptacle at the bottom adapted to recelve the club heads, an enclosing frame at the top adapted to support the club handles, rollers on the receptacle, a cover adapted to fit over the frame and receptacle, cooperating fastener devices carried by the carrier and the cover, and a loose flap in the cover permitting access to the lower portion of the clubs.

2. A golf club carrier comprising a rigid receptacle. at the bottom adapted to receive the club heads, an enclosing frame at the top adapted to support the club handles, rollers on the receptacle, a cover adapted to fit over the frame and receptacle, co-operating fastener devices carried by the carrier and the cover, a loose flap in the cover permitting access to the lower portion of the clubs, and means carried by the flap, the cover and the receptacle, whereby the flap may be detachably secured in open or closed position.

3. A golf club carrier comprising a rigid receptacle at the bottom adapted to receive the club heads, an enclosing frame at the top, adapted to support the club handles, rollers mounted adjacent the bottom of the receptacle at one side of the longitudinal axis of the receptacle, a cover adapted to extend over the carrier, and a movable flap portion on that side of thecover which is above said rollers, substantially as described.

4. A golf club carrier comprising a rigid receptacle at the bottom adapted to receive the club heads, an enclosing frame at the top, adapted to support the club handles, rollers mounted adjacent the bottom of the receptacle at one side of the longitudinal axis of the receptacle, a cover adapted to extend over the carrier, a movable flap portion on that side of the cover which is above said rollers, and means for detachably securing the flap portion in open or closed position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

GEORGE F. JOHNSTON. 

